ROME, Aug 13 (SW) – Contract rebel Antonio Cassano has been told by AS Roma to sign a new contract or face the prospect of a season on the sidelines.
The declarations were made by club director Rosella Sensi, who stated: “We will only consider him to be a Roma player if he renews his deal. Now we are waiting to know what his intentions are.
“We have made an important offer to Cassano, even when we were locked down by FIFA’s transfer embargo, which proves how much we care for Antonio.
“It is true our offer is different to the one we put on the table in February, but it remains competitive and in line with the kind of wages that, for example, Milan gave to Alberto Gilardino.
“It is in his own interests to sign the contract so that he can play in a relaxed state of mind. If he is wracked with uncertainty over his future, then he won’t perform well on the pitch and that will hurt Roma. We have faith he will make the right decision,” said Sensi.
Juventus have long been associated with a bid for the player, whilst Cassano has not hidden his desire to link up again with former Roma colleagues Emerson, Jonathan Zebina and coach Fabio Capello in Turin.
A slip of the tongue by Juventus patron Lapo Elkann this week revealed the Bianconeri’s strategy in acquiring the former Bari starlet.
“We want to take Cassano on a free transfer, then we’ll keep him in check. Juve can win everything, but to do that they need Cassano,” said Elkann.
Cassano’s contract has a further twelve-months to run, but it appears unlikely that the Azzurri striker will remain in Rome beyond this season.